A26906:185
The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…
The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being dividers or troublers of the church with some directions to the pastors how to deal with such Christians / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Symmons, 1670
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
DIRECT. V.
Understand rightly the true difference between the Mystical and the Visible Church, and the qualification of their Members; and do not confound them, as if it were the same persons only, that must be Members of both.
THE Mystical Church indeed hath none but true Saints. But the Visible Church containeth multitudes of Hypocrites; who profess themselves to be what they are not: They profess to believe in God, while they neglect him; and to be ruled by God, while they disobey him, and are ruled by their lusts: They profess to Love God and forsake the world, whilst they love the world, and God is not in all their thoughts: They profess to love the holy Scriptures, whilst they neglect them and love not the holiness of their precepts. They profess to believe in Jesus Christ, whilst their hearts neglect his grace and government. They profess to believe in the holy Spirit, and to hold the Communion of Saints in the Catholic Church; whilst they resist the Spirit, and love not Saints. All this showeth that they are Hypocrites. But abundance of Hypocrites are in the Visible Church. Nay, God would have no Hypocrites cast out, but those who bewray their hypocrisy by impenitency in proved Heresy or gross sin.
THE Mystical Church indeed hath none but true Saints. But the Visible Church containeth multitudes of Hypocrites; who profess themselves to be what they are not: They profess to believe in God, while they neglect him; and to be ruled by God, while they disobey him, and are ruled by their lusts: They profess to Love God and forsake the world, whilest they love the world, and God is not in all their thoughts: They profess to love the holy Scriptures, whilest they neglect them and love not the holiness of their precepts. They profess to believe in Jesus Christ, whilest their hearts neglect his grace and government. They profess to believe in the holy Spirit, and to hold the Communion of Saints in the Catholick Church; whilest they resist the Spirit, and love not Saints. All this sheweth that they are Hypocrites. But abundance of Hypocrites are in the Visible Church. Nay, God would have no Hypocrites cast out, but those who bewray their hypocrisie by impenitency in proved Heresie or gross sin.